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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24752689">love is difficult (but you make it easy)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrolyte/pseuds/electrolyte'>electrolyte</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fraternity, Anal Sex, Bottom Na Jaemin, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Making Out, Oral Sex, Romance, Smut, Top Lee Jeno, ex markmin, jeno is a frat boy, lots of parties and alcohol, luren is a side ship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:29:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,239</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24752689</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrolyte/pseuds/electrolyte</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>love has always been a difficult topic in jeno's books, his casual dating earning him the title of a player frat boy who never sticks around on campus.</p><p>in the meantime jaemin wonders why on earth he thinks that finding a fake boyfriend is a better idea than actually confronting his ex-boyfriend.</p><p>these things never go well in the end, but I guess the universe just has it own weird ways.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>855</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>NOMIN FIC FEST</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>love is difficult (but you make it easy)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwreck/gifts">starwreck</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>dedicating this to my bby lily because ... it's her prompt HAHAHA this is me writing almost 20k of rubbish after not writing for months. thank you to the admins of this fic fest for making this happen! out of habit I rushed the entire fic last minute so... heh :P I hope you enjoy! (the smut isn't that great but lol)</p><p>PROMPT #34<br/>Jaemin runs away from ex Mark in a frat party and takes cover behind someone and in his panic, declares the stranger as his new boyfriend. The stranger (Jeno) known to not stick with anyone, actually agrees to pretend to be Jaemin's bf.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>if you were to ask around campus what they thought of jaemin na, most, if not all, would reply with the same few adjectives - gorgeous, confident, radiant, outspoken. some might even say they’re intimidated. not because he was intentionally scary per say, but jaemin na’s mere existence simply demands attention, whether you want to give it to him or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>so it comes as a surprise to see said boy using his half empty red solo cup to cover the sides of his face as he ducks down and tries to squeeze through the sweaty crowd, trying his utmost best to not get noticed by </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>who is </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> you may ask?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> is mark lee. music major and basketball star of oakwood university.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and also jaemin na’s cheater of an ex boyfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>three and a half hours prior</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“since when did you like frat parties?” jaemin questions his roommate slash best friend of six years, brows raised as he watches him scurry around the dorm panicking about what to wear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“who said I started liking them?” renjun’s voice is muffled from where his head is poking into the closet, flinging jacket after jacket out onto his bed. “I’m just going for lucas.”</span>
</p><p><span>“I’m sorry, lucas as in </span><em><span>lucas</span></em> <em><span>wong</span></em><span>?” jaemin sits up from his bed, smirking when renjun’s head emerges from the closet, cheeks redder than when he last saw them. “finally got to hop on that dick?”</span></p><p>
  <span>renjun aggressively flings a rolled up pair of socks at jaemin’s face, smiling triumphantly when it hits him square in the nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“shut up and take a shower, na. you smell like garbage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what for? I’m staying in tonight and binge watching totally spies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>renjun scoffs, flinging another sock ball at his best friend. “no you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>. you’re coming with me to that party, and I’ll drag your flat ass there if I have to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin manages to catch the ball of socks this time, throwing over the covers and hopping off his bed with an over-dramatic gasp. “okay first of all my ass is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> flat, thank you very much. there’s two full cakes back there. and second of all, I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to some frat party. frat boys are </span>
  <em>
    <span>ugh</span>
  </em>
  <span>. as a matter of a fact, </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> boys are ugh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> are a boy.” renjun deadpans. “I am also a boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“okay and?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you dated a boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“which proves my point! he is trash! maybe I should hit up some girls instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“don’t be an asshat, your sexuality isn’t a choice. we both know you love dick in all your holes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“not all of them, that’s weird injunnie.” jaemin mumbles with a pout, to which renjun sighs before making his way towards his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“mark isn’t going to be there, nana. it’s a frat party. he hates the fraternity, remember?” renjun tries to console him, ignoring jaemin’s whines of protest as he lets himself be dragged towards the bathroom. “you need to get drunk. or get laid. or better yet, both! now go drown yourself in fragrance and get sexy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin huffs as he’s shoved into the bathroom, the door slamming shut just centimeters before the tip of his nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“might as well get some free booze I suppose.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>to be fair, mark wasn’t always an asshole. he wasn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad of a boyfriend, or a person in general. so it was quite a shock to everyone when jaemin found out that he had cheated on him. with a freshman in his major at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin didn’t believe what he saw at first. he thought that some low-lives were just playing with him and his boyfriend, setting the basketball player up to break them apart. so he simply blocked the number that sent him the picture of his boyfriend in a suggestive position with the freshman, choosing to trust the boy he claimed to be the love of his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>maybe it was his fault for being so stupid and naive. for letting himself be lied to for another month and a half.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>sometimes he blames himself for being too touchy. too clingy. too attention seeking. maybe if he had just quietly stayed in his dorm that sunday afternoon instead of visiting mark’s to bring him food because he had been stressing over his project, he wouldn’t have to catch him pants down and another girl in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin didn’t even bother letting him explain himself. what was there even to explain? that it was an accident? that he tripped and fell into her vagina?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he merely scoffed at the sight, flinging the pizza box at the pair and slamming the door shut, quickly running back to his own dorm room before anyone could catch him teary eyed. no, jaemin na is strong. he wasn’t going to waste his precious tears on some stupid boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it took him roughly two months to actually come to terms with it. and during the span of those two months, mark did come knocking at his door to explain. countless times actually. he even tried cornering him on campus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but renjun was relentless in making sure the cheater came nowhere near a five foot radius from his best friend, scaring him off with a scowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it was also his idea to send mark’s belongings back to him in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>nice</span>
  </em>
  <span> box, though drowning in a pool of ketchup (mark hates ketchup) and snails (he hates those too) they kidnapped from the nearby lake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>no snails were harmed though, in case anyone was wondering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the shrill, high pitched scream that echoed throughout the dorm building was satisfying to say the least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and although he acts as if he’s been long over the boy, his heart can’t help but ache while thinking about the list of possible reasons he was cheated on. why he wasn’t enough to make mark loyal. why he couldn’t make him stay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and like any other person post-breakup, he avoided bumping into him as much as possible. making a u-turn and detouring the second he caught sight of mark lee’s red basketball jersey on campus grounds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>yet here he was, another two and a half months later. standing right in the middle of the fraternity house of alpha phi, watching with wide blown eyes as mark lee downs his drink next to the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin isn’t sure how long he’s been staring, but he guesses it was long enough for the basketball player to feel the hard stare on his side profile, whipping his head right in jaemin’s direction with a confused frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin literally squeaks, turning around so quick he almost gets whiplash.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>fuck fuck fuck. please tell me he didn’t see me please-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>oh fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>using his red solo cup, jaemin hides the side of his flushed face, not even bothering to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>excuse me</span>
  </em>
  <span> as he pushes his way through the crowd. his eyes flit from face to face in panic, desperately trying to find his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“huang renjun where in god’s name are you?” jaemin mumbles under his breath, squeezing past sweaty, swaying bodies. the loud thumping bass of the music is starting to give him a headache, and he so desperately needs some air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin, hey! wait!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>ugh go away demon.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>stumbling through the back doors into the ridiculously large backyard, jaemin takes a deep breath of air (though it wasn’t such a good idea seeing as some party goers were hitting blunts and smoking cigarettes).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he hears mark’s voice calling out to him once more, and he downright panics when it gets louder in his ears. he takes a sharp turn right around the pool, until he bumps into a sturdy chest and he shrieks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin squeezes his eyes shut, waiting for the impact of the cold pool water to hit him, but nothing comes. simply a firm arm around his waist, and the warmth of someone’s breath on his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“whoa, careful there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin’s breath hitches. he knew that voice anywhere. who wouldn’t? even with the loud, booming music in the background, he didn’t even have to open his eyes to figure out whose embrace he unfortunately got himself falling into.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he eventually had to though, because he felt like some damsel in distress saved by some strong, righteous knight, which he obviously was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin hesitantly opens his eyes, and is met with the amused, yet undeniably handsome face of jeno lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>how would he even begin to describe jeno lee?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it wasn't like jeno lee was some notorious bad boy or a heart breaking playboy around campus or something. though people did pretty much paint him to be as such, what with his reputation for only casually dating both boys and girls, yet never sticking around long enough to call them his significant other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but it’s not entirely his fault for being so anti-commitment. most people are pretty much the same anyways. casual dating wasn’t a crime.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it just didn’t help that he was also an active member of the fraternity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>call him shallow minded for only listening to rumours and believing in backless stereotypes, but jaemin never wanted to associate himself with someone like jeno lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno lee who has casual flings left, right and center. jeno lee who loves parties and is a member of alpha phi. jeno lee whose smile could leave you hypnotised and melt even the sun itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno lee who has his arms wrapped snug around him right now and is boring holes into his face with his hard stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he guesses jeno lee would have to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>abandoning his useless red solo cup and gripping the frat boy’s wrist, jaemin quickly flips them around and pushes him towards the same voice who had been calling him the past few minutes. his other hand clutches at hem of jeno’s muscle tee, and he hides his face right behind his shoulder blade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“b-babe tell him to go away, p-please.” jaemin stutters, praying in his head that jeno wouldn’t out him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“babe?” he hears jeno repeat confusedly, and jaemin curses under his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“babe?” even mark repeats the pet name in disbelief, staring at the pair with wide questioning eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin fists the fabric of jeno’s shirt even tighter, as if giving the boy a signal to help him out. he then lets go of his wrist, both hands now clinging onto jeno for dear life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jenooo~” he whines. he supposes that would do the trick, if the crook of jeno’s eyebrow raising was any indication that it was working. “he’s been following me for a while and it’s making me uncomfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he finishes it off with a pout, eyes practically pleading for jeno to play along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and it almost feels like forever until the corners of jeno’s lips slowly quirk up into a devilish smirk, and jaemin feels an arm wind around his waist once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“mark lee,” jeno turns his attention to said boy with taunting eyes. “fancy seeing </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> here, of all people. what are you doing following my boyfriend around, hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin heaves a sigh of relief.</span>
  <em>
    <span> jeno lee you are a lifesaver.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno lee.” mark scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “it’s an open party isn’t it? just wanted to let out some steam like everyone else here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you didn’t like us?” jeno cocks his head to the side, the smirk on his face ever so present still. “thought you said my frat brothers are like uncultured animals.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“free booze.” jaemin sees mark shrug from the corner of his eye, and he makes the mistake of pulling his head away from jeno’s shoulder and facing his ex boyfriend. he involuntarily whimpers, and jeno tightens his hold on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you didn’t answer my question,” he can feel the vibrations in jeno’s chest from his low grumble. “what do you want with my boyfriend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin is my ex boyfriend, and i just want to talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well it's ex for a reason now isn’t it?” jeno scoffs, shooting the other a glare. “he doesn’t want you following him around anymore. no means no, lee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>by now, a couple of party goers had taken interest in their little argument, especially after hearing the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span> spill from jeno lee’s lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend? jeno got himself a boyfriend?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>jaemin na and jeno lee are together? I didn’t even think they knew each other.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t jaemin na and mark lee just break up recently? and he’s already gotten himself a new one?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>that poor boy is just going to get his heart broken.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>mark gives a smug smile at the hushed whispers around him, using them to further prod at the frat boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“and since when did </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> start getting a boyfriend? last I checked you weren’t a labels kind of guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“keeping tabs on me now, huh? you must be so obsessed.” jeno chuckles darkly, paying the rumours no mind. “leave jaemin alone, mark lee. and get the fuck out of my party.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>seeing no point in arguing further, mark mockingly raises his hands up in defeat. he turns around to gather his boys and leave the party, but not before catching jaemin’s eye once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he gives him a look that jaemin can’t quite describe, but jeno notices this, and gently pulls his head back to bury his face in the crook of his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he continues to glare at the basketball player on his way out, not backing down even in the slightest. and jaemin doesn’t even realise that he’s crying until he tastes the saltiness of his tears on the tip of his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>no no no, don’t you dare cry, jaemin na. you’re better than this. you’re a strong bitch.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>but the more he tries to reassure himself, the more his tears start streaming out of his eyes. he tells himself it’s probably because of the alcohol in his system. he tends to get extra emotional when he’s tipsy. and also with the addition of the little migraine that he forgot about but is still lingering there in his temples. he supposes he simply felt a little too overwhelmed in that moment, and chooses to press his face further into jeno’s black shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hey uh, you alright?” he hears jeno whisper lowly. he’s a little embarrassed that jeno lee of all people is seeing him cry in his arms like this, but it’s a little too late to run away right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin gives him a little nod, accidentally rubbing his snot filled nose against his collarbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“sorry.” he mumbles into his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“let’s go wash your face, yeah?” jeno suggests, leading him back into the house without exposing his red, puffy crying face to the crowd, to which jaemin is super grateful for.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I guess jeno lee isn’t so bad.</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thinks as he stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, feeling all the more refreshed after splashing his face with cold water. but his eyes widen in horror when he realises that </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit, now everyone thinks he’s my new boyfriend. fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>a couple of knocks on the bathroom door breaks him out of his reverie. “you okay in there? need some help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“n-no it’s fine!” jaemin panics. “I’ll be right out!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“okay~”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin quietly turns the knob and pulls the door open, peeking his head through the little gap. he’s met with jeno’s broad back as he’s facing his study table, and jaemin clears his throat to get his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno whips his head around and gives him a small smile, pointing to the bottle of water sitting idly on his bed. “don’t worry, it’s unopened.” he reassures.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“thanks.” jaemin murmurs, shuffling over to the bed and helping himself to the drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno simply hums in response, and jaemin feels the bed dip right next to him. he almost chokes on his water when he turns and jeno’s face is barely an inch away from his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“w-what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“are you feeling better?” he asks in a gentle demeanour, in which jaemin was not used to seeing. he couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or not, to be honest.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>why do you care?</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wants to retort, but he bites back his tongue in attempts of being civil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“good.” jeno huffs, pushing his dark hair back with a rake of his fingers. “don’t cry over stupid boys that break your heart, it’s not worth it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ironic of you to say.” jaemin snorts before he could even stop himself, mentally slapping himself when he sees jeno’s expression fall ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“thanks for uh, helping me, by the way.” he clears his throat to break the awkwardness, capping the bottle of water closed. “even though you probably didn’t want to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“just because I never had a proper relationship doesn’t mean I’m heartless, you know.” jeno comments dryly, but with no actual bite to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never said that…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you didn’t.” jeno shrugs. “ but mark lee is a jerk anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah.” jaemin finds himself agreeing, looking down at the half empty plastic bottle and playing with it between his palms. “one problem though…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“everyone’s probably spreading the news that you’re my new ‘boyfriend’ now.” jaemin smiles apologetically, squeezing the bottle a little harder. “I’m sorry about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno hums and purses his lips. “you’re right, gossip </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> travel fast in this university. but that’s not necessarily a bad thing though, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what do you mean? the gossip or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“me being your new boyfriend of course! you can get mark off your back for a while.” jeno exclaims much too excitedly. “that’s what you want though, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well yeah kind of but, what’s in it for you? I’m not sure how </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” jaemin points back and forth between themselves. “arrangement will benefit you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> pretty companion.” jeno smirks when the other’s cheeks flush at his words. “that’s quite beneficial if you ask me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“annoying flirt.” jaemin grumbles, to which jeno guffaws in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>babe</span>
  </em>
  <span>, what’s our story going to be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“uh, let’s see… we bumped into each other at a cafe and started hanging out?” jaemin suggests with a shrug, pulling his feet up to the bed and finding himself starting to get comfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“cliche, but believable.” jeno nods his head, pulling out his phone from his back pocket. “gonna add that we wanted to keep it a secret until today happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin snorts. “you seem to have a lot of ideas when it comes to fake dating huh? have you done this before or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno wordlessly smiles, ignoring his questions in favour of opening up his instagram app. he lays back against his pillows and beckons jaemin to scoot over, pulling him into his arms like he was at the poolside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what are you doing now?” jaemin questions when jeno embraces him, pulling him so close that his face is pressing against his chest. he buries his fingers in jaemin’s pink locks before snapping a quick photo, swiftly typing a caption before clicking the post button.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“showing the world my new boyfriend.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin frowns in confusion, but sits up from where he’s laying on jeno’s chest to unlock his vibrating cell phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>jeno.lee23 started following you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>jeno.lee23 tagged you in a photo.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>jeno.lee23 mentioned you in a post.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>jeno.lee23</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> I can finally tell the whole world that this beautiful boy right here is mine. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>@jaem_na00</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>soon enough, both their phones are spammed with countless notifications, the entire human population showering them with comments of </span>
  <em>
    <span>congratulations</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>finallys</span>
  </em>
  <span> (mostly on jeno’s part for that though). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“how did you find my instagram?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“your friend is that tiny guy that’s seeing lucas right?” jeno brings a hand to rest behind his head, involuntarily flexing his bicep (jaemin tries not to stare) and flipping his phone around with the other. “I just went through his following.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah, but don’t call him that if you see him. he’ll separate your head from your body with no remorse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“noted.” jeno visibly shudders, to which jaemin giggles at the sight. “are you planning to stay the night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno lee! we’ve only been dating for three minutes and you’re already thinking of taking me to bed?” jaemin gasps dramatically, bringing a hand to his chest. “be more of a gentleman will you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I happen to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> gentlemanly, thank you very much.” jeno tsks in fake annoyance, but the amused smile on his face doesn’t go unnoticed. “besides, your tiny friend is probably in lucas’ bed right now. don’t want you going home alone to an empty dorm~”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin huffs, blowing his bangs off his forehead momentarily. “fine. guess we can spend the night discussing how we’re gonna make this fake dating thing work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“sounds like a plan.” jeno pats the space by his side on the bed, silently asking jaemin to crawl back into his arms. “now get your cute butt over here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfie</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin never thought in a million years that he would end up in this situation. if anyone had told bright eyed college freshman jaemin na that he would wake up at eleven forty six on a saturday morning in a frat boy’s bed, he would think they were a clown. or the whole circus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but nonetheless it does happen, much to freshie jaemin’s dismay. and it leaves him slightly dumbfounded to say the least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>especially when the first thing he wakes up to is someone barging into the room screaming someone else’s name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno fucking lee! I can’t believe you got yourself a boyfriend and did not have the decency to tell </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, your best friend of twelve years?! the audacity of this bitch, get your ass up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>ah, donghyuck lee. or </span>
  <em>
    <span>haechan</span>
  </em>
  <span> as most people would call him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno’s best friend since elementary school and fellow fraternity brother at alpha phi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>like his name suggests, he shines as bright (some would say even brighter than) as the sun itself. he never goes unnoticed. not with his loud, boisterous voice and dominating aura.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>especially now, when he’s trudging over to the bed and ripping the sheets off his best friend’s curled up body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“get up airhead you - </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh my god the boyfriend even stayed over</span>
  </em>
  <span> hey there I’m donghyuck!” jaemin awkwardly waves from where he’s pressed against the wall on jeno’s bed. (no they did not cuddle last night, save your suggestive thoughts for some other time.) “jeno lee you have a lot of explaining to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“we’re just faking, hyuck.” jeno sleepily mumbles into his dark grey pillows, something about his deep, groggy morning voice sending chills down jaemin’s spine. “his ex is a jerk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“is that true?” donghyuck questions, hands on his hips as he looks into jaemin’s eyes for answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin simply nods at him dumbly, not expecting that jeno would tell his best friend the truth right off the bat. and on their first (technically second, but last night was more of a pre-game kind of thing) day too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the sigh that donghyuck releases is so deep that jaemin felt it himself. he watches him shake his head before dragging his feet back to jeno’s bedroom door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“there’s breakfast downstairs if you’re hungry.” he announces, giving jaemin a little smile when they meet eyes. “just, prepare yourselves for a whole lot of questioning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>donghyuck barely even gets to shut the bedroom door completely when another figure comes barging into the room, and before jaemin could even register who it was, a recognisably smaller body is violently flung right on his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ow what the fuck-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>what the fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> me jaemin na! explain!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>of course, it’s renjun. who else would it be?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“do people never knock or something?” jeno groans next to him, rubbing at his eyes in annoyance. he blinks awake, and jaemin would’ve cooed at how he looks so much like a puppy if it weren’t for renjun thrashing around in his lap. “uhm, hi?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jesus christ jaemin I told you to get drunk, and maybe get laid for one night. not get a whole new boyfriend! and jeno lee at that too!” renjun wails, grabbing his best friend’s shoulders and shaking him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“we’re just faking, injunnie!” jaemin whines at the same time as jeno goes </span>
  <em>
    <span>hey what’s wrong with me?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“faking?” renjun stills. “you know these things don’t ever turn out well right? especially since your fake boyfriend is jeno lee!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m right here, you know.” jeno cuts in dryly, to which both renjun and jaemin roll their eyes at his comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it was just to get mark to hop off my back, okay? he kept trying to talk to me last night.” jaemin frowns at the memory, eyebrows knitted together. “besides, it’s kind of your fault this happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“how is you getting yourself a fake boyfriend my fault?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“mark won’t be at the party he said. he hates the fraternity he said.” jaemin dramatically mimics his best friend, complete with hand gestures and a mocking roll of his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno snorts at the sight, but quickly shuts himself up when renjun shoots him a glare, as if threatening him to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“fine. but only because I feel bad for leaving you alone.” he huffs begrudgingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’ll be fine injunnie!” jaemin reassures his best friend with a wet, sloppy smooch on his cheek, to which renjun grimaces. “don’t worry!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he better be the best damn fake boyfriend ever or I’m cutting off his toes and burying each one in a different spot across campus.” renjun grumbles, arms crossed over his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“again, I’m right here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well you were supposed to hear it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you little-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“anyways!” jaemin clears his throat to ease the tension, nudging his best friend suggestively with his elbow. “seeing as you’re here right now, how was your night with lucas~?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the tips of renjun’s ears visibly reddens, before he’s gnawing at his plump bottom lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it was amazing gosh I didn’t expect him to be so b-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“okay!” jeno shrieks, literally hopping out of bed. “can we not talk about my brother’s schlong while I’m here?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the two best friends snicker, watching as jeno trudges to his bathroom and slams the door shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he’s not all that bad, injunnie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he better not be.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin wasn’t lying when he said that jeno wasn’t all that bad, although being said frat boy’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>fake </span>
  </em>
  <span>boyfriend gave him more attention than he was used to. sure his cotton candy like pink hair and good looks already had heads turning in his direction from before, but being the boy who changed jeno lee’s heart (that’s what the rumours called him) had more people paying attention to them than he expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>why are people constantly so curious about other people’s relationships?</span>
  </em>
  <span> he often wonders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>after having breakfast with the fraternity the morning after their little arrangement was decided (donghyuck was not kidding when he said that they were in for a whole lot of questioning. although he lowkey felt bad that jeno’s fraternity brothers seemed genuinely happy that he had settled on someone for once), jeno offered to walk him back to his dorm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin had refused, pointing out that it was at least a twenty minute journey by foot back to his dorm room that was on the top of a hill, but it was because of that that jeno insisted. his brothers had teased him for being such a gentleman, literally throwing the boy out of his own frat house before he could even properly put on his jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’s not nice of me to let my </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span> walk back alone now is it? besides, you’re still a little hungover I believe.” jeno shrugs. renjun wanted to spend more time with his own boyfriend anyways, so jaemin supposes that jeno’s excuse was deemed reasonable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>unfortunately for them though, walking to jaemin’s dorms meant that they would have to cut across the student union building. and it was just their luck that the student union had concluded their weekly conference at the same time as they were approaching the building, catching the attention of the students exiting the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>already, whispers and murmurs could be heard as they shamelessly pointed at the couple. some even had their phones out, noticeably cooing at how jaemin had jeno’s jacket draped over his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ah shit.” jaemin hears the other curse under his breath, and he doesn’t even realise when jeno had intertwined his fingers with his. but he promptly lets himself be dragged away, footsteps getting faster and cheeks pink when he hears some catcalls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“about damn time, jeno lee!” he hears someone shout above everyone else’s voices, and jeno turns around to jokingly flip him off before urging jaemin to quicken his pace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“who was that?” jaemin finally gets to ask when they’re an acceptable distance away from the student union building, softly panting as they begin their climb up the hill to the dorms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“just hyunjin hwang, a family friend who’s also in my major.” jeno huffs as he kicks around the pebbles on the pathway. his palms are starting to feel sweaty in jaemin’s own palms, but he doesn’t say a thing. “love the guy but he’s super nosy. so if you ever bump into him, quickly run the other way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin snickers. “hard to believe that anyone could be any more nosy than you are but whatever you say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“rude.” jaemin could practically hear the pout in jeno’s voice, and he snickers once more when he starts stomping up the stairs like a child throwing a tantrum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>when they finally arrive at the front lobby of jaemin’s dorm building, (jaemin doesn’t think that bringing jeno up to his floor would be a good idea, seeing as there were students in the lounge already whispering about them) jaemin finds himself just blankly staring at jeno’s side profile as they wait for the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he is truly </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> handsome, he wasn’t going to deny that. the way his messy dark locks fall over his forehead and poking slightly at his eyes. the thick eyebrows that frown ever so slightly when the elevator stops at yet another level. the long eyelashes that fan out on his cheekbones whenever he blinks, down to the little beauty mark in the corner of his right eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin then wonders if all of his previous partners favour that spot when they’re kissing him, because he finds himself wondering what jeno’s reaction would be when they do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he quickly shakes the thought out of his head, tracing the slope down jeno’s angled nose with his gaze and stopping at his lips. they’re a little chapped but jaemin isn’t one to judge dry lips when he’s pretty guilty of them as well. a pink tongue darts out to wet them, before his lips suddenly quirk into an oh so familiar smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“are you done performing an x-ray on my face?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin almost chokes on practically nothing, ripping his left hand out of jeno’s grasp to smack him in the chest. the latter doubles over in laughter, the deep sound bouncing off the walls and catching unwanted attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you’re insufferable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> cute.” jeno straightens himself out before poking the tip of jaemin’s nose with his index finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin pretends he doesn’t hear a little squeal from a random stranger watching them from behind the plants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“oh, the elevator's here. bye boyfie!” there’s a ding and the doors slide open. and out of impulse, jaemin presses a quick kiss to jeno’s cheek before cheerfully hopping into the elevator, smug smile growing when the doors slowly close on jeno’s shell shocked expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>payback is sweet, he thinks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>contrary to most fake dating agreements, they didn’t set much rules. whilst they’ve already agreed on their fake “how I met my boyfriend” story (yes, they stuck to the whole bumping into each other in a cafe thing), everything else flowed rather naturally, much to their pleasant surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>of course, only donghyuck and renjun knew about their fake relationship so far. he couldn’t risk more friends? acquaintances? finding out and the news eventually reaching his ex boyfriend, who seems to have thankfully backed off since the party as jaemin has yet to see him around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>not that he was looking for him or anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>fake dating jeno lee wasn’t that bad, to be honest. although it took over a week to tell almost the entire curious-as-hell student body about how they got together (yes, the cafe story) and for them to come to terms with it because many still couldn’t believe that jeno was finally settling down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>though jaemin doesn’t think too much about why jeno is so determined to help him when he already has a long line of girls and boys waiting to get their hands on him. he appreciates the extra company though, seeing as renjun has to give his ginormous boyfriend some attention instead of moping in the dorms with him anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno is nice, he thinks. he just hopes he doesn’t turn into a walking cliche and ends up falling in love with the guy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m surprised you don’t have some </span>
  <em>
    <span>no falling in love</span>
  </em>
  <span> rule or something.” donghyuck points out as he sips on his mocha. he had decided to third wheel the couple on their little starbucks date (jaemin just wanted some coffee before his last class of the day, and jeno has been playing the good boyfriend role exceptionally well), jaemin only just leaving for class a couple minutes prior. “isn’t that usually the first rule in most fake dating arrangements?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“that rule is for friends with benefits, no?” jeno frowns, poking at his unfinished tiramisu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>donghyuck shrugs. “isn’t it pretty much the same? you’re like friends with benefits, but pg.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno snorts at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“unless you don’t want it to be pg...” donghyuck playfully accuses, earning him some whipped cream on his cheek. he shrieks and scrambles for a napkin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno promptly presses his iced macchiato to the sides of his face, attempting to cool down his reddening cheeks. “fake relationships are more exclusive, I guess. there’s a proper purpose. friends with benefits is just playing around for pleasure and excitement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“pleasure and excitement is a proper purpose as well if you ask me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well that’s for you, hyuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just saying.” donghyuck shrugs once more, dragging jeno’s unfinished plate of tiramisu over and helping himself. “what are you actually getting out of this, jen? you’re helping him get rid of his dumb ex, but what’s in it for you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“funny, he asked me the exact same thing that night.” jeno snorts, before running a hand through his dark hair and leaning back into his chair with a sigh. “I don’t know, I’m thinking that maybe he could be the one? like, all this while I’ve been chasing them but maybe this time I should let them come to me. I mean there’s no harm in trying right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“and what if you do fall in love and he breaks </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> heart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“then I’ll learn to live with it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>to make things seem more </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they agree to pick one another up from their classes and lectures if their schedules allow it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“to make our relationship more visible to everyone’s eye,” jeno would say. “you’ll never know when mark lee’s presence will suddenly catch you off guard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin would snort at that, before calling him ridiculous but sending over his semester schedule anyway. jeno sends him his as well, and the pair comes to the realisation that they have more opportunities to ‘make their relationship more visible’ than they thought they would.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin often finds jeno waiting for him while leaning against a pillar whenever he leaves his classes, lips pursed as he mindlessly scrolls through his phone. he would slip his hand into his before walking together to their next destination, like how normal couples do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they have the same lunch breaks on tuesdays and thursdays, and the whole of wednesday mornings free. so it became an unspoken rule for jeno to get lunch with him and renjun on tuesdays (which by extension, meant that lucas was included too), accidentally making it a double date majority of the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>now jaemin is by no means disgusted by public displays of affection (as long as it’s decent of course), but he simply doesn’t understand why lucas insists on being fed by renjun while he sits in his lap when he has his own two hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“couples.” he would grumble under his breath, catching jeno’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“want me to feed you too, </span>
  <em>
    <span>baby</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” he then would tease him, mimicking an airplane with his fork and prodding it at jaemin’s lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will stab you with the fork jeno lee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you wound me.” jeno would sulk, before shoving the pasta into his own mouth. “my boyfriend hates me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“don’t be mean, nana. let your </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span> shower you with affection.” renjun would snicker, earning a kick on his shin under the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin side eyes jeno’s hunched figure, looking like a dejected puppy as he pokes around his food with a sad pout on his lips. he was obviously just joking around, but jaemin supposes he should make some effort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>sighing, jaemin stabs at a piece of steak with his own fork. he dips it in a little bit of sauce before tapping on jeno’s shoulder with his free hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“aah~” he brings it to the other’s lips, brows raised when jeno does nothing but stare back at him with wide eyes. his gaze constantly flickers between the fork and jaemin’s eyes, as if wondering if he was just playing or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>babe</span>
  </em>
  <span>, come on.” jaemin whines, stomping his foot and purposely making his voice go a little higher. he could practically hear his best friend gag in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and it feels like forever when jeno finally reaches over to wrap his mouth around the steak, pulling it off the fork and munching on it. he gets some sauce on his chin, and jaemin reaches over to swipe it with his thumb and licks it off.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>god what kind of romcom am I living in?</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thinks, mentally rolling his eyes at himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“good boy.” he grins before he could stop himself, and lucas literally squeals from across the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you guys are so cute, it’s so fun to see jeno like this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“they are, aren’t they?” renjun adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they don’t see jeno blush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“hey what’s your ultimate dream date?” jeno suddenly asks him out of the blue. it was a thursday and they’re having lunch in jaemin’s photography studio. the dim lighting made it feel as though it was sundown, but jeno figures he didn’t need that much sunlight to see the contents of his burrito. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin emerges from the darkroom where he was developing some films, plopping down on the seat next to jeno and starting up his macbook as he shoves a forkful of nachos into his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he feels jeno shrug from next to him. “just wondering. it’s been two months but I realised we’ve never actually gone on an actual date.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“do we actually need to though?” jaemin snorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it would be fun, no? besides, we can show off a little. we didn’t get named the cutest couple on campus for nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“that’s an actual thing?” jaemin questions with a raised brow. “please do not tell me we have some fanclub of some sorts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“god no.” jeno almost spits out his chicken at the thought. “but someone did make a poll on twitter and we won by a landslide.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“the students here are so weird.” jaemin shakes his head with an amused smile. “next thing we know they’re going to start writing fanfiction about us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno chuckles at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“so, jaemin na, what is your deepest darkest fantasy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well I like being choked-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno sputters in shock, choking on his burrito. jaemin laughs out loud at this, patting his fake boyfriend in the back as the latter sips on his coke with a glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m kidding. mostly.” he teases before staring blankly at his laptop screen. “hm, it’s not that extravagant but I would love to have a picnic in paris. now call me a sap but you know how paris is the city of love? I always thought of having a picnic with the view of the eiffel tower, sipping on wine as my boyfriend plays his guitar. I would bring my camera and take lots of pictures too. makeout under the sun a little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno hums as he tries to imagine it. “why a picnic though?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just like picnics.” jaemin shrugs. “it’s calm and relaxing. and preparing for it is always fun, the cooking and whatnot. when mark and I were together we never found the time to do that. our schedules rarely matched up and we rarely had the time to sit down and just enjoy each other’s presence. it’s always just movies or dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> or just him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin smiles sadly. “just him, if I were to be completely honest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well, good riddance then huh!” jeno exclaims, trying to lighten the mood. jaemin chuckles as he watches him finish up his burrito, crushing the wrapper into a ball and dunking it into the takeout bag. “tell you what, you’re free this sunday am I right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin nods, finishing up his own nachos as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“let’s go on a ‘date’ then. the lake behind campus is actually a really good picnic spot, and I can bring my guitar. and you can definitely bring your camera too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin shakes his head at the other’s excitement, watching him almost literally hop out of his seat. “I can’t refuse, can’t I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“nope.” jeno responds with a smack of his lips, eyes turning into crescents as he beams. “so what do you say, jaemin na? up for a fake but not so fake date with your fake boyfriend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“pick me up at noon?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jeno keeps his word of picking him up at noon (though it was a couple of minutes past, but who’s counting, really? not jaemin of course). jaemin figures that since they would just be going on a picnic at the lake behind campus, he didn’t need to spend so much time dressing up. but he finds himself waking up hours prior and stressing over what to wear, as if he was really going on a date with a boy he likes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>does he like jeno like that? he wasn’t going to think about that yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he feels underdressed in his loose blouse and ripped jeans when he sees jeno in skinny jeans, a white tee and a leather jacket, guitar slung across his back and a small arrangement of flowers in his grasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he thinks he’s doing a little too much for show as a fake boyfriend with the flowers, but jaemin isn’t one to complain. he loves being showered in gifts just as much as he loves giving them. and jeno is simply too sweet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it’s a ten minute walk to the lake, and they go hand in hand (got to keep up the act, you know?). and it’s only when they can just barely see the water body when jaemin realises that all this time, jeno had no picnic basket with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hey jeno, where exactly is the food? you didn’t forget, did you?” jaemin worries, because he hasn’t had breakfast. and he’s pretty sure there’s no food in that guitar case.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“no,” jeno snickers, pulling him closer when a cyclist suddenly speeds past. “I obviously only have two hands so the boys were more than willing to help me set up. yangyang probably stole a tart though, he’s been eyeing those since last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin’s lips form an o in realisation, looking down and flushing pink when he notices that both of jeno’s hands were indeed full - one holding his guitar strap and the other intertwined with his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well it's no paris, your future real boyfriend can bring you there instead.” jeno chuckles lightly, and jaemin thinks he’s hallucinating when it sounds a little sadder than it should. “but I hope this is close to your dream date. or a knock off version at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno brings him to a small grass clearing next to one of the docks. they’re a little further down from the usual spots that were crowd favourites so there was thankfully no one else around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin eyes the large spread with sparkling eyes. he had to admit, the fraternity boys did a pretty good job with the set up - a signature red checkered mat large enough for them to lay down and roll around. picnic basket sitting idly in the corner next to the bottle of wine. the center of the mat is covered with a variety of delicious food - sandwiches, salads, pasta, fruits, cake and a lot of confectionery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin stifles a giggle when he sees a plate of tarts, and one was visibly missing from it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I even got you macarons, to make it feel at least a little bit like paris.” jeno points out sheepishly, picking up a pastel box. “chan’s girlfriend is a culinary major, so she helped to bake some.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“wow, you really got the whole student body involved huh?” jaemin jokes as he settles down on the mat. jeno follows suit, setting down his guitar before taking a seat a couple inches away from jaemin. “thank you, jeno. this is beautiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno gives him a gentle smile. it’s not the one where his eyes turn into complete crescents, but the one where the corners crinkle just enough to make it just as endearing and jaemin can still see deep into his orbs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you’re welcome, jaemin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>they spend their sunday just like that. phones abandoned somewhere on the mat in favour of basking in the afternoon sun. jaemin praises jeno’s sandwich assembly skills, to which jeno claims that donghyuck helped him most of the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>at one point jeno brings out his guitar from its case, slowly strumming random notes and tunes as he watches jaemin take pictures at the lakeside. jaemin practically commands him to strike some poses with his guitar as he snaps away, grinning in content as he scrolls through his shots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it’s golden hour when jaemin lays down on the picnic mat, claiming to feel a food coma coming. jeno eyes him as he literally glows in the sun, long lashes fluttering as he gets some shut eye. his lips are stained red from the wine, and jeno finds himself wondering what they would taste like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he had always been distracted by jaemin’s lips from the start, with how pink they were and how soft they looked. sure jaemin had a habit of picking at the dry bits of skin (jeno reprimanded him and got him some lip balm after noticing that), but the way he constantly nibbled at his lower lip and spoke with a little pout has jeno smitten every damn time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he doesn’t even realise that he’s leaning closer towards jaemin, until he feels the other’s warm breath against his cheeks. he immediately pulls back, gulping harshly when he realises what he was about to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he heaves a sigh of relief when jaemin stays unmoving, still looking ethereal even though he pretty much knocked out on the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno chuckles lowly at the sight. he grabs jaemin’s camera and fumbles around with it, hoping the other wouldn’t mind. he isn’t even sure if he was on the right settings, but he snaps some pictures of jaemin sound asleep, taking a few with his phone as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thinks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>just beautiful.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin naps for a little over an hour. jeno doesn’t mind though, simply opting to skim through the book he brought along. he lets the other rest as he cards his fingers through his pink locks soothingly, smiling to himself when he feels jaemin nuzzle into his palm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it’s almost sundown when jaemin wakes up, the orange hues just peeking over the horizon. a warm glow paints over jeno’s features when jaemin stirs awake and opens his eyes, momentarily confused at where he was at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he watches jeno read for a minute or two, the only time seeing the other this focused was when he was playing pubg against renjun on his phone last week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“didn’t take you for a nerd.” jaemin comments groggily, craning his neck and hooking his chin over jeno’s knee. “what are you reading?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“some economics book for class.” jeno murmurs before heaving a sigh. he tucks his bookmark back between the pages, before shutting it closed and giving jaemin all of his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“good sleep?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah,” jaemin hums, involuntarily letting out a little yawn. “sorry I fell asleep though. I wasn’t bored, I promise. was just up all night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno smiles and shakes his head as if to assure him that it was fine. “what were you doing all night anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>overthinking. about you mostly.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“just editing some pictures.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you really love photography huh? must be nice.” jeno mumbles the last line under his breath, but jaemin hears it anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. photography is the only way I can stop time, in a sense.” jaemin says, eyeing his camera with a small smile. “what about you, mister businessman? I highly doubt you actually enjoy business. unless it’s someone else’s business.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno lets out a laugh at the joke, but his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love animals. have always wanted to be a vet actually, but,” he pauses, looking out into the sunset. “things happened and I had to venture into business.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>there’s an awkward silence for jaemin didn’t know what to say. he was awfully curious about jeno’s life, but he figures that he shouldn’t pry, for jeno would tell him when (or if?) he’s comfortable enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he didn’t mean to let the mood dampen, so feels slightly bad when he looks up from where his head is on jeno’s lap, and is welcomed with an expression on jeno’s face that he can’t quite describe. it’s sullen, he could tell that, but somewhat at ease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>frustrated, jaemin scrunches his nose before hopping up on his feet. jeno watches him curiously as he shuffles towards the dock, silhouette barely visible with the sun already set.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“seeing if there are any mermaids in here.” jeno cocks his head in confusion at jaemin’s answer, unsure of whether he should take him seriously or not. “I swear I saw a blue tail earlier. it was shiny too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fake dating a child.” jeno mumbles to himself, making sure that jaemin doesn’t hear a single world. he trails after his fake boyfriend to the edge of the dock where he’s leaning over the water, staring down at his own reflection.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin be careful or you’ll - </span>
  <em>
    <span>aah</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>a loud splash resonates as jeno is pushed into the lake by none other than jaemin himself. he emerges barely three seconds later, dark hair matted against his forehead and sending jaemin a glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what was that for!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin doesn’t answer. he simply giggles before taking a few steps back and running straight towards the lake, hopping into the water with another large splash of his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>his head pops out right next to jeno’s, and he reaches over to latch on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you were being too grumpy. had to get you a little wet to lighten the mood.” jaemin teases, smoothening jeno’s knitted eyebrows with the pads of his thumbs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why do you have to say it like that.” jeno whines, heat travelling to the tips of his ears. “I don’t think we’re even supposed to be swimming in this lake by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“look at you being mister goody two shoes.” jaemin snorts, flicking some water at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“doesn’t mean I haven’t done it though.” jeno points out, taking it upon himself to dunk jaemin’s head back under the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin downright shrieks as water enters his nose, arms flailing as he tries to grasp onto jeno’s body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno throws his head back in laughter when jaemin emerges back up with an angry pout, looking as intimidating as an angry kitten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they splash around until their jeans get heavy and their fingers feel pruney, helping each other up onto the dock and sitting on the edge with their feet dangling over the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>their hands rest side by side as they silently watch over the moon, ankles brushing once in a while as they swing their legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hey jeno?” jaemin whispers after a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hm?” jeno responds, turning to his right and finding himself looking into jaemin’s eyes. he gets lost in them as they reflect the stars in the sky, and he decides there and then that his eyes hold a universe more beautiful and vast than any other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’s okay to be afraid and unsure. it’s okay to feel lost. but if you ever feel alone, just know that I’m here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno doesn’t say anything. he simply smiles before his hand is reaching over to hold jaemin’s, letting his actions speak for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it’s donghyuck who picks them up in his red pick up truck with a scowl, clearly unhappy with how they disturbed his perfect sunday night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin gives him an apologetic smile as he shoves towels into their grasps, the latter immediately stopping his best friend when he is about to get into the front seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“uh uh, there’s no way I’m letting your wet ass ruin my seats. in the back you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno complains about it being cold in the back because of the wind, but he complies anyway, climbing in first before helping jaemin up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they make do in the end though, huddling together wrapped in towels as they giggle at how stupid they probably look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin ends up staying the night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin is lazing around in bed on wednesday after his last class when he receives a text from jeno. just as he swipes to unlock his phone, renjun comes dragging his feet into their shared dorm before dropping face first into his bed with a tired groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>poor art majors.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>boyfie:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>throwing another party at the house this friday. coming? it’s frat-only though, so you don’t have to worry about you-know-who being there ;)</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin snorts at his choice of words, sending him a quick </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span>! before making sure his best friend didn’t pass out in his tight jeans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“injunnie~ take your pants off first if you’re going to sleep!” he nudges at the smaller boy’s shoulders. renjun whines, kicking his feet like a child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“do it for me.” he mumbles sleepily into his pillow, clearly too tired to even bother. and like the good best friend that he is, jaemin helps him out of his uncomfortable clothes, starting with his skin tight jeans and denim jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it wasn’t anything new, really. they did this for each other often, especially if one was drunk while the other was sober.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“there’s a party on friday by the way.” jaemin says when renjun is changed out and comfortably tucked into his bed. “we’re going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“mm kay.” is all that he says, and jaemin chuckles before drawing the curtains and flopping back into his own bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he brings his macbook over and plugs in his memory card, tapping impatiently on the trackpad as he waits for it to load. he has yet to go through the hundreds of pictures he took on their picnic ‘date’ last sunday, and he figures that since he was somewhat free at the moment, why not pull up a picture or two to edit?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the icons soon flood his screen, and jaemin selects them all before sifting through them one by one. he would say that about eighty percent of the photos he took were just jeno, the handsome boy seemingly becoming the main subject of his camera (and his mind) lately. he lets out exasperated laughs at each one, recalling the little scenarios and moments behind each taken frame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he stops at one - a daisy (courtesy of jeno’s bouquet) is tucked behind his ear, the white petals in contrast with his dark hair. jeno is strumming at his guitar, a small smile lacing his lips and eyes curved into crescents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin couldn’t help but stare. he looks ethereal, he thinks. and his heart pounds as he selects the image and drags it into his hard drive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he sifts through the rest of his memory card and extracts roughly about three more pictures before he is met with his own face on the screen. for obvious reasons he doesn’t remember this photo being taken, because his eyes are closed and jaemin reckons that it's jeno who had gotten hold of his camera and taken the shot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>there’s an orange hue and the exposure is a little too low, but nothing a little lightroom can’t fix.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he drags it into his hard drive, and it’s the first picture that he opens up to edit. after a few tweaks here and there, he figures that the photographer himself would want it, so he airdrops the image to his phone before sending it to jeno.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>me:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>sneaky paparazzi &gt;:(</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[IMG2831.JPG]</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>he receives a reply barely a minute later, and he scoffs at the text.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>boyfie:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>&lt;3</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin arrives late to alpha phi’s party that friday, sending jeno a text to apologise beforehand for it totally slipped his mind that he had a small dinner gathering with his group mates. it wasn’t a big thing though, so they just had pizza and a couple of drinks before jaemin is allowed to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he makes a pit stop by his dorm to change out into something </span>
  <em>
    <span>less</span>
  </em>
  <span> decent and more party-like, switching out his knitted khaki sweater for a shimmery pearl, low cut, see through blouse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>renjun was already there at the party, and jaemin knows that the both of them are highly likely going to stay the night at the fraternity again, so he shuts everything off before he leaves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he doesn’t find jeno yet when he enters the house, opting to help himself to some drinks first. he bumps into yangyang at the makeshift bar, downing some shots with him and sharing some moves on the dance floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the guys in jeno’s fraternity were great. definitely not the stereotypical playboy douchebags that he thought they were. jaemin supposes he should stop judging people by the rumours he hears about them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he’s making an attempt to copy some weird move that yangyang spontaneously came up with on the dance floor when familiar hands find his waist. his first instinct would’ve been to shove the intruder away, if not for yangyang who simply wriggles his eyebrows at him before disappearing into the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin turns, smiling when he is met with the face of the man who has been occupying his thoughts all this while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well if it isn’t the man himself,” jaemin throws his arms around his neck. “jeno lee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“where were you?” he whines, obviously already tipsy. he leans forward and noses at jaemin’s cheek, his grip on his waist tightening. “was lonely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin isn't sure where the sudden boldness is coming from, but he isn’t complaining. in fact, he was feeling rather bold himself as well. he reaches up to push jeno’s hair back with his hand, leaning closer until he could practically feel jeno’s breath fan on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you I had a dinner appointment,” he pouts, looking at jeno from under his eyelashes. “did you miss me that much?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno responds by nodding profusely. it’s clear that he has had too much to drink, especially when he’s leaning down and burying his face in the crook of jaemin’s neck. he literally takes a deep inhale of his scent, jaemin merely giggling at the ticklish sensation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why are you sniffing me like a dog?” jaemin chuckles, trying to pry jeno’s face away from his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you smell good.” jeno seems exceptionally whiny and clingy when he’s drunk, wrapping the entirety of both his arms around jaemin’s waist and pulling him impossibly closer. “you </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> good too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>sober jaemin would’ve snorted with pink cheeks before slapping him on the shoulder. but this jaemin has had a little too much to drink as well, so instead of doing what sober jaemin would do, this jaemin ends up flirting back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you look even better if you ask me.” jaemin whispers lowly, just enough so that only jeno can hear him. his gaze flits down to his parted lips, and jeno does the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>their noses are almost touching and everything around them suddenly seems hazy. the last thing that jaemin hears is a soft whisper of his name, before he feels a pair of lips on his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he doesn’t pull away. instead, his body decides to move faster than his mind could even comprehend, pressing himself closer and closer to jeno. he shuts his eyes before moving his lips, a strained whine escaping when jeno squeezes his sides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they only pull away momentarily when it starts to get hard to breathe. no words are exchanged as they stare into each other’s eyes. jaemin tangles his fingers in the strands of jeno’s dark hair and they meet halfway once more, lips pressed against each other fervently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the kiss becomes more needy, and jaemin’s knees would’ve buckled and sent the two on the floor if not for the strong arms wrapped around his middle. the strong taste of vodka is evident as their lips part, allowing their tongues to mingle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin’s conscience is practically begging him to pull away, but everything just feels so good. everything just seems so right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“oi! go suck face somewhere else!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the sudden voice (which sounded a lot like hendery, one of jeno’s fraternity brothers) makes jeno pull away, and jaemin giggles at his dazed but still thoroughly annoyed expression. he grumbles something under his breath, before he’s holding jaemin’s hands and pulling him up the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin giddily follows behind him, almost tripping on the steps and falling face first into jeno’s back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it’s not long before he finds himself in jeno’s room, trapped between the closed door and jeno’s body. they're both breathing heavily as they stare into each other’s half lidded eyes, not a single word being spoken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been wanting to kiss you.” jaemin whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin lifts a hand to cup jeno’s left cheek, the latter turning to nuzzle into his palm. “will you remember this in the morning?” he murmurs, breath hitching when jeno presses a kiss to his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will.” jeno says, and he sounds so confident. so sure. that it makes jaemin feel at ease. “I will, I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“okay.” is all that jaemin says as he lets his arms go slack by his sides, allowing jeno to lean forward and press kisses from his jawline down to his neck. he whimpers at the feeling, fingers hooking on the belt loops of jeno’s jeans and pulling his hips closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno groans into his collarbone at the friction created by their hips meeting, almost growling when jaemin slips his knee between his thighs. everything starts to feel hot, which leads to jaemin clawing at the buttons of jeno’s shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they take it to the bed, jeno leaning back against the headboard as jaemin straddles his hips. their lips immediately meet in a rushed, almost desperate kiss. as if time was running out. jaemin quickly untucks jeno’s dark denim button down from his pants, rolling his hips down onto jeno’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno kneads his thighs in return, running his hands up the large expanse before resting them on his butt cheeks. he parts his lips from jaemin’s to pant into his mouth when he rolls his hips down once more, chest heaving from heavy breaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin trails a finger down jeno’s sweaty chest, biting his bottom lip as he watches his abdominal muscles contract. he leans down to lick a stripe up the side of his neck, breathing hot air into his ear as he grinds his hips down again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“j-jaemin I...” jeno stutters, holding back a moan when jaemin starts to suck on a spot beneath his jaw. “w-we should stop...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he grips on jaemin’s waist tightly in attempt to stop him from moving around further in his lap, using up all of his self-restraint. he gulps when jaemin shows no sign of stopping, the boy still leaving marks all over his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin, hey. let’s stop.” it’s only then that jaemin snaps out of it, detaching his lips from jeno’s adams apple and laying his head on his shoulder instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“y-yeah we should.” he feels overwhelmed. he didn’t expect things to escalate this quickly, but he felt no ounce of regret. none at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” he apologises out of nowhere, half expecting jeno to push him off his lap and demand him to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but none of that happens. instead jeno shimmies down his bed and leans back into the pillows, jaemin still snug in his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“will you stay?” jeno whispers into his hair after a second of silence, bringing jaemin’s body closer to his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he wordlessly nods, heaving a tired sigh of relief as he rests his head against jeno’s chest, cheek pressed right above where his heart is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the buttons of his shirt are digging uncomfortably into his side but he doesn’t care. he just hopes that nothing changes in the morning after.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jeno realises two things as he’s the first to wake up, head pounding as he rubs the sleep out of his eyes. one being his nudeness from the waist up - denim shirt discarded somewhere on his bedroom floor. he figures that sometime in the night it got too hot, so he took it upon himself to remove his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the second thing he realises is that he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>while it’s practically normal for a boy his age to wake up with morning wood, he finds it rather embarrassing this time round because </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh</span>
  </em>
  <span> jaemin stayed over and is currently clinging to his side as he sleeps. he looks absolutely adorable drooling across his chest but jeno could barely enjoy the view when his knee is awfully close towards his crotch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he gnaws on his lower lip, trying not to groan when jaemin shifts in his sleep and his leg hikes higher up his thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it takes him approximately three and a half minutes to reach down and slowly pry the sleeping boy off his body. jaemin was like an octopus. the more he pulled, the more he latched onto him. only when jeno manages to squeeze an extra pillow into his arms does he break free, watching as jaemin curls his body around it and buries his face in the soft cotton.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but then comes another problem - he doesn’t think that he can make it to the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>don’t get him wrong, he is no exhibitionist by any means. but walking across the room with a painful hard on is difficult. and the fact that he was still clad in tight denim jeans did not help his case any further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno glances over to the hunched figure on the other side of the bed. jaemin is still sound asleep, snoring into his grey pillow and cheek smushed into the mattress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he shrugs. he figures a little quick handiwork wouldn’t hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he starts by pressing the heel of his palm against the front of his jeans, letting out a heavy breath at the friction. he cups the entire bulge and squeezes, holding back a desperate groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“shit.” he curses under his breath, fingers inching towards the button of his pants. he manages to undo it and lower the zipper without a sound, trying to slip his hand in the front but it was too damn tight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>with a frustrated huff, he lets his hands fall to his sides and tries to pry his jeans down with his thumbs. but it was too painful, and he was starting to break out in a sweat, damp fringe matted against his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“need some help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno almost jumps out of his own skin at the sudden voice, whipping his head to the side to see jaemin staring blankly up at him. there’s still some sleep laced in his eyes, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span> he looked so sinful with his plush lips and messy hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“uhm no thanks, I’m good.” he croaks out embarrassingly, trying to avoid all eye contact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you sure? you look like you’re having a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard </span>
  </em>
  <span>time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno thinks he’s being tested. he’s not even sure if all this is real when jaemin props himself up from the bed, causing one side of his loose blouse to fall over and expose the smooth expanse of his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“think of it as a, uh, favour. for helping me.” jaemin adds on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno doesn’t say a word. he finds himself just gaping at jaemin’s appearance, unable to move. his cock literally twitches in his boxers when jaemin shifts and his blouse falls even lower, almost revealing his nipple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>at the lack of response, jaemin scoots over. he pushes the crumpled sheets and pillows aside in favour of hooking his legs over the edge of the bed and dropping to his knees on the floor. he nudges jeno’s legs over, who silently watches as jaemin’s fingers grip at the hem of his jeans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he pulls them down with no remorse in one go along with jeno’s boxers, the fabric pooling at his ankles. he settles between his thighs before looking up at him from under his eyelashes with a pleading look, as if asking him for permission.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno gulps before nodding, hands curled into fists by his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin wraps a hand around the base of jeno’s length, giving the tip kitten licks as he flicks his wrist. jeno’s breathing gets heavier, and jaemin feels a small sense of pride bubble up in his chest, knowing that he’s able to leave jeno like this so quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he leans forward and wraps his lips around the entire head, slowly inching downwards until the tip hits the back of his throat. jeno lets out a low groan above him, right hand grasping at jaemins locks out of reflex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he quickly pulls his hand away when he realises what he’s done, but jaemin simply grabs it with his free hand, placing it back on his head. he then squeezes jeno’s thigh as if to encourage him, and jeno gets the message.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>gripping jaemin's pink locks, jeno leans back on one arm as he watches his head bob up and down his cock. he lets out moans and groans freely, hips occasionally thrusting up into the warmth of jaemin’s mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin whimpers ever so slightly when jeno tugs on his hair just a tad bit too harshly, and it’s not long before jeno feels warmth pooling at his lower abdomen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin I’m close.” he groans, and jaemin takes it upon himself to quicken the pace. he doesn’t want to cum in jaemin’s mouth, thinking it would be a little rude of him to do so without asking. but jaemin doesn’t seem to get the hint as he keeps fervently bobbing his head, and soon enough jeno’s thighs tremble as he cums down jaemin’s throat, eyes screwed shut and jaw unhinged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you know</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” jeno apologises as he comes down from his high, eyeing the way jaemin’s adam's apple bobs as he swallows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he doesn’t think he's seen anything hotter than that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’s okay,” jaemin assures, voice hoarse as he stumbles a little while getting back up on his feet. he smiles and pulls the side of his blouse back up, shuffling towards the bathroom to wash up. “just warn me next time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“of course.” jeno nods dumbly, watching jaemin’s figure disappear behind the door. he lets out a relieved sigh before pulling his boxers back up, prying his feet out of his jeans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he reaches over to his phone, but pauses when he suddenly realises what jaemin had said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“wait, next time?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin bumps into him after one of his lectures on a thursday afternoon. jeno was still stuck in the library for a group project meeting so jaemin made plans to get waffles and ice cream at the parlour just outside campus with his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he had just texted renjun when someone calls out his name, footsteps catching up to him from behind. he turns around and comes face to face with an over excited hyunjin, waving at him as he skips over.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“if you ever bump into him, quickly run the other way.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>he remembers jeno’s advice about the guy, but he realises it’s a little too late to escape when hyunjin is soon by his side, clasping a hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno’s bae! how are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“uh, peachy?” jaemin answers hesitantly as they continue to walk out of the building. he hugs his laptop closer to his chest, eyes on the floor as he wonders what on earth hyunjin wants with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“don’t be so scared, I’m not going to say anything bad!” hyunjin chuckles. “I wanted to thank you, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what for?” jaemin tries to recall if he has ever done anything to help the other in any way, but he had only met him once. though he wouldn’t even call it a meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well, I’m no best friend or fraternity brother of his but,” hyunjin pauses before shrugging. “our families are, or rather </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> close. so it’s nice to finally see him all happy and chummy with someone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin bites his lip, trying not to pry further at hyunjin’s words. what he meant by </span>
  <em>
    <span>were close</span>
  </em>
  <span> simply piqued his curiosity, but he shakes his head, opting to silently smile instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ah also, I’m sure you’ve already seen it but that video of you and jeno making out at the last party got thousands of likes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin stops dead in his tracks. “I’m sorry what did you say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“this video!” hyunjin exclaims a little too excitedly, pulling out his phone clicking into the instagram app. he heads over to the university’s confessions account (run by a couple of very bored students) and opens an ig tv, showing the screen to jaemin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>heat travels up his face and right till the tips of his ears as he watches himself lock lips with jeno on screen, hands all over each other as they paid no mind to anyone else. the entire video is over almost two minutes, and it cuts when jeno is pulling away and dragging him to his room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin stays unmoving, unsure of how to react.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well I guess you didn’t know about the video,” hyunjin claps and awkwardly laughs, bringing him out of his reverie. “don’t be too worried though, most people found it hot. they are thoroughly enamoured with the two of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin doesn’t say a thing. he wasn’t all that disturbed about the video, nor the thought of people being utterly obsessed with his (fake) relationship. he pretty much got used to it after three months in. but he suddenly felt all hot and bothered from watching the clip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’s crazy, really. some are even arguing in the comments about how often you two have sex, how shameless.” hyunjin snorts, and that’s when jaemin’s breath hitches.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>sex?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex.</span>
  </em>
  <span> you know how people talk about these frat boys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin didn’t even realise that he said it out loud. his cheeks grow impossibly redder as he thinks about </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex</span>
  </em>
  <span> with jeno.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’ve got to go, sorry.” he quickly stutters out before speed walking towards the exit, not even bothering to say goodbye to hyunjin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it wasn’t as if jaemin was unaware about the rumours that float around the fraternity boys, especially jeno. he may not be big on gossip, but some words are just hard to miss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they talk about how sexually driven the boys are, always looking for partners to stay the night if they weren’t already attached. those who experienced it talk about how good they are, how they would do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get another night with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the jaemin months before this would’ve rolled his eyes at them, completely uninterested in other people’s sex lives. but now that he himself was in question, he wondered - </span>
  <em>
    <span>what would sex with a frat boy, or rather, jeno be like?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“should I ask jeno to have sex with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he’s on his last bite of waffles and ice cream, still unable to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>those</span>
  </em>
  <span> thoughts out of his head. he pouts as renjun coughs into his soda, slapping at his chest as he wheezes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what the fuck and why would you want that?” renjun glares at him questioningly, asking him to bring over the napkins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“just curious.” jaemin shrugs, passing over the stack of tissues. renjun raises a brow, as if saying that he was not amused. jaemin blows a raspberry. “I was just thinking. after we made out and I gave him a morning blowjob I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you gave him a </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!” renjun shrieks, jumping in his seat and sending a fork clanging onto the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“a blowjob, the morning after the party! I woke up and he was trying so hard not to jerk off next to me, it was cute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“and why did I not know about this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why do I have to tell you if I gave my boyfriend oral?” jaemin mumbles, playing with the straw of his iced coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>fake</span>
  </em>
  <span> boyfriend.” renjun corrects, earning him a deep pout.</span>
</p><p><span>“it was just a favour,” jaemin sighs into his drink, leaning back in his seat. “but after that I couldn’t help but think about going further. he’s hot, and well so am I, </span><em><span>don’t laugh!</span></em> <em><span>I am! </span></em><span>and he probably hasn’t gotten any because he has to put up his act of being my boyfriend so there’s probably a lot of pent up sexual frustration.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“just say you’re horny and you want his dick and go.” renjun scoffs, bending over to pick up his fallen fork.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well it </span>
  <em>
    <span>has</span>
  </em>
  <span> been a while…” jaemin trails off. he hears renjun sigh, and he looks up to see his best friend rubbing at his face in distress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“do what you want, nana. but remember that he’s still only your fake boyfriend. I don’t want to see you both hurting each other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, injunnie.” jaemin reaches over, holding his best friend's hands in his. “you don’t have to worry okay? I know what I’m doing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“just be careful, please?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>jaemin snorts. “what do you mean? I’m always careful with what I put in my -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“good lord!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin regretfully doesn’t get to bring up the subject to jeno the next time he sees him though. he couldn’t possibly start talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex</span>
  </em>
  <span> when he was looking all cute in his hoodie and glasses, poking at his soggy fries in distaste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>so jaemin lets it go for a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>or more like over a week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it finally happens one fine tuesday afternoon, when jaemin decides that he has had enough of staring at jeno’s arms and wishing they were around him. he’s over at the frat house, dropping by after one of his classes when jeno texts him that his lecture was cancelled and that he was hungry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>food be damned, he thinks, when the first thing that greets him is his shirtless fake boyfriend fresh out of the shower and sweatpants riding low on his hips. jaemin almost lets out a strained whimper at the sight, before dumping the takeout on his desk and pushing jeno on the bed and straddling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>shocked would be an understatement to describe how jeno was feeling. he was obviously caught off guard but he couldn't say that he didn't see this coming. after that </span>
  <em>
    <span>favour</span>
  </em>
  <span> jaemin gave him that morning, things thankfully between them still went on as per normal, but the sexual tension was so thick you could cut it with a blunt knife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he cages jaemin’s waist with his arms, leaning forward and catching the skin of his neck between his teeth. he sucks a deep purple bruise, earning him a low moan as jaemin grinds his hips down on his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the position is much too familiar, giving them both a case of deja vu. but this time they were sober, and they most definitely weren’t going to stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“j-jeno, fuck,” jaemin stutters in ragged breaths. “fuck me, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno pulls away from his neck at this, just enough so their lips are mere millimetres apart. “are you sure?” he whispers, hands slightly fidgeting around the hem of jaemin’s tee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yes, please.” jeno’s hands slip under his shirt, trailing his fingers across the small of jaemin’s back. he shudders at the feeling of his cold finger tips, surging forward to press a bruising kiss on jeno’s lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it gets hot and messy, borderline sloppy as saliva drips down their chins. jaemin can feel his jeans start to tighten painfully as he continues to grind down on jeno’s growing bulge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he pulls away to remove his shirt, breath hitching when jeno takes the opportunity to lick at his nipple. his fingers reach up to tweak at the other bud, toying with it between his thumb and index.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin starts to get impatient. he’s all about the foreplay but the only thing on his mind at that moment was wanting jeno inside him as soon as possible, the thought of it making heat travel throughout his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno, hurry please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno groans at the other’s breathy tone, pressing a few more fluttering kisses to jaemin’s chest before flipping them over. he reaches over to his side drawer to get the necessary items, almost stopping dead in his tracks when he turns back and is welcomed with the sight of jaemin in all his glory, bottoms removed and laying comfortably in the sheets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he looked unbelievably sinful - pink hair fanned out around his head on the pillow like a halo. his chest, littered with red purplish marks, heaving up and down as it glistens with sweat. jeno’s gaze travels down to his lithe waist, leaning down to press a kiss where his hip bones protrude. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin almost feels shy under jeno’s gaze. he was no virgin of course, and neither is he ashamed of baring his body in bed with another man. but the way jeno was staring at him made him feel so vulnerable. so submissive. yet so desired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it made him feel good, an involuntary shudder going down his spine when jeno runs his fingers down his legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he lets jeno part his legs, muscles tensing as he anticipates what's to come. he watches jeno scoot back and lean down, latching his lips onto the inside of his left thigh. his hips buck as jeno sucks a bruise and licks at the tender purpling skin, hands grasping the sheets as he lets out a hoarse moan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he barely hears the uncapping of the bottle of lube, letting jeno manhandle his legs until his knees are pressed to his chest. he hooks his elbows underneath, parting his legs further as he shows jeno his clenching, awaiting hole.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin winces when a cold, wet finger breaches his entrance, stretching at the rim before it goes down knuckles deep. it’s been way too long since the last time he’s had sex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“relax, jaem.” jeno’s voice soothes him, his free hand rubbing circles in his thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin visibly calms, breathing deeply when jeno enters another finger and starts scissoring, rubbing at his walls to stretch him out. he allows himself to release more shameless moans, head thrown back when jeno adds another and another until there's four.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno that’s,” he pauses to let out a moan when jeno’s fingers just barely brush past his sweet spot. “that’s enough. want you now. </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin feels empty when jeno removes his fingers, hole clenching around nothing. he watches him grab the condom packet and remove his sweatpants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>no underwear. fucking tease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno rolls the condom on his thick length and smirks when jaemin quite literally whines, all ounces of patience out the window. he hooks jaemin’s legs over his shoulders before positioning the tip of his cock at the entrance, leaning down to drop a peck on jaemin’s nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“let me know if it hurts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno doesn’t wait for jaemin to respond, groaning as he slowly inches his length into his tight heat. jaemin gasps at the feeling of slowly being filled, jeno’s thick girth stretching him to the fullest. he whines and makes grabby hands at jeno’s biceps, pulling him down to kiss him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he pulls at jeno’s lower lip with his teeth and groans when he finally bottoms out, trying to get used to his size. it takes a short while for him to get comfortable, clenching around jeno’s cock as if to tell him to move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno gets the hint, starting to make slow shallow thrusts. he brings jaemin’s arms around his neck as he leans down, chest to chest as he swallows all of little sounds he makes at every thrust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“more.” jaemin pleads in between kisses. and jeno doesn’t even need to be told twice before he starts jackhammering into his heat, making long deep thrusts that has jaemin seeing stars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>his legs slip down jeno’s shoulders from the sweat, wrapping them around jeno’s waist instead and pulling him impossibly closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“there!” he throws his head back and lets out a loud, lewd moan when jeno’s cock hits his prostate, almost crying at the wave of pleasure. he rakes his nails down jeno’s back as he continues to thrust in that angle, sucking at another spot on jaemin’s neck. "oh god!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it’s so hot and sweaty, the smell of sex and the sound of skin slapping filling the room. jeno reaches down to wrap a hand around jaemin’s cock, flicking his wrists timely with his thrusts. jaemin whines and whimpers as he feels himself coming close, digging his nails so deep into jeno’s shoulder blades that they form crescent shaped indentations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the bed is creaking and the headboard is hitting against the wall as jeno speeds up his thrusts, desperate to chase his high. he groans into jaemin’s neck as he cums into the condom, jaemin following almost immediately after, spurting out ribbons of white and painting both their chests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they stay in that position for a short while, panting as they try to recover from their orgasms. jaemin doesn’t want to move anytime soon anyways, unsure of what to feel or say if he were to look into jeno’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the awkward silence doesn’t last long though, as jeno starts to pull out and dispose of his condom. jaemin whimpers from sensitivity, looking down and frowning at the small pool of white on his navel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he almost shrieks from surprise when jeno leans over and just licks it up, dragging his tongue up his entire torso.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you just did that! that’s gross!” jaemin complains, slapping jeno’s shoulder when he flops next to him on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you found that hot, don’t even deny it.” jeno chuckles, pulling jaemin closer and resting his hand on his butt cheek. jaemin whines when he kneads the flesh, giving him a chaste kiss on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you’re always hot though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno snorts at his comment, giving jaemin’s ass a little slap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“is this another one of those favours of yours?” he murmurs, placing soft kisses down jaemin’s jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin hums, running his fingers up and down jeno’s bicep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yes and no, though I’ve always wanted you to dick me down.” he confesses bluntly, reaching down and shamelessly massaging jeno’s half hard cock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you’re getting hard again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“not my fault you’re so sexy.” jeno almost growls into his ear, hips bucking into jaemin’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“another round then?” he suggests, hooking his leg over jeno’s and looking at him with sultry suggestive eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ride me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it becomes a thing, giving each other ‘favours’. </span>
  <em>
    <span>fake boyfriends with benefits </span>
  </em>
  <span>they would call it, helping each other to let out their sexual frustrations whenever they needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>donghyuck thinks that they’re treading into dangerous waters, but jeno just waves him off, assuring that it was only just getting better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they start to get sexually active, not that either of them was complaining, but the brothers of alpha phi often return to the house to catch them making out on the sofa or hearing lewd moans from jeno’s locked bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it was both complicated yet simple - jaemin didn’t want to think about the consequences in the future, choosing to just bask in jeno’s strong arms while he can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they were like each other’s exclusive booty calls, though they still go on fake dates (renjun wouldn’t even call those fake anymore with how they seemed to be genuinely enjoying them) and show off their ‘relationship’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it goes on for a couple of weeks, and today was no different.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin was laying in his dorm room after class on a wednesday, all alone as renjun was pulling an all nighter in the studio for his finals, and jeno was still in class. he’s just finishing up another edit when his phone dings, notifying him of a new message.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>boyfie:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>my project proposal got rejected :(</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin snorts, he obviously knew what the sad emoji implied.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>me:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>aww poor puppy :( come over? I’m alone~</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno replies to his text within seconds, and jaemin grins when he reads the message, quickly putting away his laptop.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>boyfie:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>already on my way!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin leaves the door unlocked, so that when jeno comes barging in, he’s welcomed with the sight of jaemin in nothing but one of his oversized tees, the hem just reaching his mid thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno shuts the door behind him and locks it, dropping his bag and toeing off his shoes, looking as if he was ready to pounce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel better already.” he says when jaemin hooks on the collar of his shirt and starts pulling him towards his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin giggles before leaning up and whispering into his ear, “I’m all prepped for you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sir</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno smirks, pushing him down to lay on his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“good boy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jaemin rarely cries, it was pretty much established since the start. even as a child he wasn’t those kids who burst into tears when their favourite toy was taken away, nor did he cry when he fell and scraped his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he guesses it was just the stress from his finals for the semester before summer break piling up. he hadn’t had proper sleep for a week, and he’s been surviving on dark coffee and toast. hell he hasn’t had sex with jeno for over a week either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he was stressed. frustrated. angry. and he honestly just couldn’t wait for it to be over and visit home for the summer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but when he receives the text from his mother just a day before his submissions, he breaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>mom:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>dad and I won’t be home for the holidays again, so the house is empty if you want to bring anyone over. see you for christmas break, maybe.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>he doesn’t even realise that he’s crying until a tear drops on his phone screen. he’s been staring at the text for god knows how long, the fear of being abandoned silently creeping back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he hasn’t seen his own parents since the summer of his freshman year. he’s a junior now, which meant that he has been coming home to an empty cold house for two years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he stares blankly at his phone, and a few more notifications pop up. but he pays them no mind. he grips his phone tightly, a wave of anger suddenly bubbling in his veins. and out of adrenaline, he flings his phone at the wall. the crack on the screen was nothing compared to his broken heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he curls up into a ball in the corner of his bed, glaring through blurry vision at the blank spaces of the walls. he whimpers before letting out a shaky sob, burying his head in his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he’s not sure how long he’s been in that position, but the door to his dorm suddenly flings open, and jaemin whips his head up. he’s hoping that it's his best friend, but what greets him doesn’t disappoint him either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hey you weren’t responding to my texts so I got worried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin hops off his bed, almost bursting into another wave of tears as he shuffles over to jeno, who meets him halfway and immediately wraps his arms around him. pressing his face in the crook of his neck, he lets out a choked sob, fisting at the material of jeno’s sweater behind his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, jaem. I’m here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it takes almost an hour for jaemin to calm down, sobs turning into hiccups that jeno admittedly finds cute. though he wasn't going to voice that out of course.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he gives jaemin a little bit of space in the meantime, opting to help him clean up the mess in his room and picking up his cracked phone. he places the phone on his desk, smiling when jaemin’s sobs subside and he scrunches his nose like a bunny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“feeling better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you asked me that the first time we met.” jaemin mumbles, accepting the takeaway cup of soda that jeno offers him. He nibbles on his straw out of habit, watching jeno unpack the pizza he brought over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno hums. “we’ve come a long way since then, haven’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin doesn’t answer, continuing to play with the straw between his teeth. jeno passes him a breadstick, plopping down on the bed next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“hey jeno, what’s your plans for summer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno swallows his chicken, licking at the sauce on his fingers. “just gonna visit home I guess. mom probably needs help with the uh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>stuff</span>
  </em>
  <span>. jiyoon probably misses me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“oh.” jaemin smiles at the mention of his sister, thinking how nice it must be to have siblings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what about you? do you need my boyfriend services for the summer too?” jeno jokes, playfully nudging jaemin with his elbow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he chuckles lightly, taking a bite of his breadstick. “I’ll probably stay back in the dorms. no one’s home anyways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>there’s a short silence, before jaemin feels an arm around his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“is… is that why you were upset?” he nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno clears his throat, hesitating his next few words. but he decides that </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck it, </span>
  </em>
  <span>there’s no harm in asking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you know, I’m sure mom and jiyoon wouldn’t mind the extra company.” he offers, silently praying in his mind that he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries and making jaemin uncomfortable. “I wouldn’t mind it either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“is that really okay?” jaemin murmurs, fiddling with the sleeves of his hoodie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’s more than okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin looks up at jeno with wide, glassy eyes. and more than anything, jeno felt the urge to want to protect him. to hold him in his arms forever and never let go. to give him all the love that he has to offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>because that’s what jaemin na deserves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>jeno’s mother is a splitting image of jeno himself. despite her old age, her features were still sharp and her eyes curve into the exact same charming crescents when she smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the way she welcomes him with open arms makes him feel warm inside. makes him feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted.</span>
  </em>
  <span> he tries not to cry when she embraces him, for he could barely remember the last time he hugged his own mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno has never brought home a boyfriend before.” she points out, making jaemin blush as jeno complains in the background.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“thank you for welcoming me in your home, mrs. lee. I hope I’m not too much of a bother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“silly!” mrs. lee waves him off, giving him an endearing look. “you’re always welcome here, dear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno’s little sister is eight years old, the adorable gap in her teeth showing as she coos over jaemin’s cotton candy like hair. she kisses his cheek and calls him pretty, before claiming him as hers and sticking her tongue out at her own brother when he complains once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin doesn’t ask about the missing figure in jeno’s family, as it was obvious that the mention of his father was a sensitive topic. it was always </span>
  <em>
    <span>mom </span>
  </em>
  <span>or </span>
  <em>
    <span>jiyoon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, jaemin realises whenever jeno talks about home. and jaemin could see that, as he passes the photo frames in the hall of just the three of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he’s awkward at first, careful with his choice of words and unsure of what to do in the house. but jeno eases him through the summer with his boyish smile, making sure that jaemin feels comfortable and at ease at all times.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>on days where jeno disappears with his mother to help her with </span>
  <em>
    <span>stuff,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he babysits jiyoon and helps to cook dinner. it feels oddly domestic, he thinks, feeling all flustered at the thought of building a family with jeno lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he feels bad though, when jeno’s mother treats him so well not knowing how they were both lying to her face about their relationship. (jaemin had insisted on telling her the truth beforehand, but jeno didn’t want to break the poor woman’s heart). the way she treats him like her own son, feeding him generous portions of home cooked food and nagging over how thin he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>she scolds her son for not feeding his boyfriend, but she doesn’t need to know that all they do is honestly eat and fuck like rabbits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they don’t get summer jobs, spending the holidays having sex when the house is empty (for obvious reasons) and driving down to the beach twenty minutes away instead. jaemin helps jeno to clean up the pool in the backyard as well, and he could honestly say that he has never felt this happy and content in a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>his heart thumps in his chest as he watches jeno splash in the pool with his sister, his laughter making him smile as well, a warm feeling bubbling in his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>shit, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he was absolutely screwed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>time passes by way too quickly, jeno thinks, when there’s only two weeks of summer left. he doesn’t know where all those weeks of his vacation went, but all he remembers of it is </span>
  <em>
    <span>jaemin</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he supposes he did it to himself for agreeing to be his fake boyfriend. these things always end up with the pair either falling in love or breaking each other's heart. although he didn’t want to admit but, he has been hoping that it would be the former.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>love hasn't always been an easy topic in jeno’s books. his reputation in college made him seem like some heartless playboy, but in actual fact, his heart was just fragile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>sure he’s dated way too many people and have never stuck around long enough to call them his, but he has his reasons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>to put it simply, his dad left the family when he was fourteen. he always saw his parents as his role models, in both life and love. so when his father falls out of love and cheats on his mother, his fantasy breaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it wasn’t that he no longer believed in love or anything. it was just difficult for him to think that they would stay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>so when he thinks that his partner started to show signs of disinterest, he leaves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he believes he doesn’t break their heart or humiliates them with their ‘break ups’, they mostly part ways on good terms anyways. so he doesn’t know why people paint him to be some heartbreaker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>so love was difficult.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but with jaemin… jaemin made it seem easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he thinks it’s still too early to call it love. but when he thinks about falling in love with jaemin na, he doesn’t mind it. doesn’t even mind if he breaks his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>because </span>
  <em>
    <span>jaemin</span>
  </em>
  <span>, jeno thinks. jaemin is the embodiment of love itself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>- </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin moans as he releases, pressed into jeno’s sheets. he holds his face in his hands and kisses him silly, giggling as jeno slips his tongue in his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you’re so pretty.” is the first thing that jeno says when he pulls away, looking down at the boy beneath him with a smitten grin. he places another peck on jaemin’s lips, before nuzzling his nose in his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have cum in my ass.” jaemin rolls his eyes, letting jeno flip them over. he lifts himself up and off of jeno, trying to ignore the cum dripping down his inner thighs. he pulls on his briefs, wrapping jeno’s blanket around him before dragging his feet to the balcony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno follows behind him after hastily slipping into basketball shorts, leaning against the railing as he watches jaemin’s side profile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“penny for your thoughts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin smiles as he exhales, opening up one side of the blanket and wrapping it around jeno.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“just,” he pauses, trying to find the right words. “wondering how I got here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“with your legs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin tsks, nudging the side of jeno’s hips with his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno chuckles. “the universe has its own weird ways I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he hums in response, leaning his head on jeno’s shoulder. the cold, night summer breeze makes him shiver in the slightest, making him burrow further into the other’s warmth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“just interesting how the most unexpected things happen. just months ago I wouldn’t even spare you a second glance on campus, and now I’m standing half naked in your house in the summer.” he finishes off with a snort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well, it’s a good thing though isn’t it? makes life all the more interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it is.” jaemin turns to face him, reaching up to fix his hair when the wind blows once more and messes up the dark locks. “I got you here with me out of it, so of course it’s a good thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno doesn’t say anything and just smiles, letting jaemin continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“thank you, jeno, for being with me. I know it’s not exactly easy to let just anyone in, but you have a good heart. and anyone would be lucky to be loved by you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I think I’m in love with you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he wants to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but he’s a coward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“anyone would be lucky to be loved by you too.” he says instead, pulling the blanket tighter around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“that’s rather hard to believe.” jaemin scoffs, closing his eyes and letting out a shaky breath. “the guy I thought I would spend the rest of my life with cheated on me. and my own parents won’t even make the effort to see me. how does any of that feel lucky?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno embraces him, resting his cheek on his hair as he buries his face in the crook of his neck. “love is difficult. it could make you feel like you’re on top of the world, but could also break you. one second you believe in forever, and the next second someone walks away, leaving you to deal with all the problems. the consequences. things you never asked for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>love is difficult, but how do you make it so easy?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno sighs, thinking that some of his feelings are better left unsaid. there’s a short silence as they simply bask in each other’s warm embrace on that balcony, only the sound of each other’s breathing calming them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“did he leave you, jeno?” jaemin whispers. “did he make you think that love is difficult?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno knows who he was referring to. he knows from jaemin’s curious eyes that he has been itching to know why he never mentions his father. he knows from the look in his eyes when he passes by the family photos in the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah, he did. he broke her heart and wasn’t even sorry about it.” jeno sounded angry, he sounded betrayed. but most of all he sounded broken. sounded like an innocent young boy who just wanted his family to be complete.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he left and didn’t look back. left us to fend for ourselves as he ran off with some other woman.” he clenches his jaw, thinking of all the times he watched his mother cry silently in her empty bed. he thinks of all the times his little sister asks where papa is, when he will come back. thinks of all the fathers day cards and gifts he had to make at school, only to rip them up later at home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he was supposed to run the company with mom.” he continues. “but when he left it fell into my hands so I had to forget about veterinary. mom had to live for years wondering why she wasn’t enough to make him stay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“so yes, love is difficult. it’s difficult because you think that it’s set in stone when they promise a forever with you, but then one day they just pack up and leave. as if all those promises meant </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin lifts his head from jeno’s chest, gently holding his face and wiping his tears with his thumbs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it is, isn’t it?” he whispers, leaning forward and kissing him softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“love is the most difficult thing in the world.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>when summer ends and he has to go back to reality, jaemin hugs jeno’s mother extra tight. he admires her strength more than he already does, wishing that only good things would come to her and her family from then on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he leaves the lee’s residence with the promise of coming back again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he’s not sure when that would be, but he hopes he can keep his promise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and jeno holds his hand the entire ride back to campus, thumb caressing the back of his palm. he doesn’t know if this changes anything in their </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationship</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he’s willing to take the risk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he approaches him in the library on a friday morning, just barely into the new semester. jaemin is caught off guard, scoffing before attempting to leave, but the words that leave his lips makes jaemin stop dead in his tracks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it was all fake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin inhales sharply, turning to give mark an icy glare. but the sorry, regretful expression on his face makes him falter in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I overheard your conversation with renjun right before summer, and I spent my entire vacation thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care how you found out or what you did over the summer, mark.” jaemin spits, arms crossing over his chest. “just leave me alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, jaemin. I really am.” the basketball player cuts to the chase. “no amount of words can describe just how sorry I am, and I don’t expect you to forgive me but I just wanted to let you know, since we didn’t exactly get any closure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure I got the closure I needed when I saw your dick in someone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, it’s just,” mark sighs, rubbing his face. “you deserve a proper apology, and I just wanted to give you that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin doesn’t say anything to that, continuing to give his ex boyfriend a hard glare as he watches him nervously play with the sleeves of his letterman jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why did you do it, mark?” jaemin asks sadly out of the blue. “why did you cheat on me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was stupid. I got greedy. I was her mentor and I saw her more often than I saw you, got more attention from her than what I gave you. I fucked up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“yeah, you definitely did.” jaemin snorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you don’t think that you weren’t enough or anything. you were, </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span>, more than enough, jaemin. and I was just blind not to see that.” mark rambles, lowering his voice when he starts to get stares of annoyance from the librarian. “you’re an amazing, beautiful person, jaemin. and my dumb ass broke you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why are you even telling me this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“because I know you, jaemin. and I know that even though your relationship with jeno is fake, what you feel when you’re with him is real.” mark pauses, looking into jaemin’s eyes. it’s the wide eyed, innocent look that he gives whenever he’s saying something genuine. the kind of look mark gives when he’s making an honest confession. “I’m no stalker but I swear I’ve never seen you this happy than when you were with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin’s breath hitches at his words, eyes beginning to sting when they hit him where it hurt the most.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he treats you well, jaemin. more than I ever did.” mark adds, smiling as he gets up from his seat, silently pushing the chair back under the table. “so I hope it all goes well in the end. goodbye, jaemin. be happy, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he doesn’t give him an answer, simply watching him leave with teary eyes and clenched teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he didn’t want to admit it but mark was right. jeno treats him well. jeno has made him happier than he ever was.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m in love with jeno.</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thinks to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>he just hopes that jeno feels the same.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“hyuck told me he saw you with mark the other day.” jeno brings it up a couple of days later. he’s lazing around on jaemin’s bed, mindlessly tapping on his phone as jaemin is editing pictures on his laptop at his desk. “thought he would’ve given up by now. guess our plan isn’t working?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>there’s an obvious hint of jealousy laced between jeno’s words, but jaemin didn’t want to feel over confident.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“he apologised.” jaemin hums. “told me to be happy from now on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he hears jeno snort, and jaemin grins to himself when he hears him add a grumble under his breath. “who is he to say that after cheating on someone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin shuts his laptop loudly, snickering when jeno visibly jumps at the sudden sound. he gets up from his seat, making his way over to his bed and flopping onto jeno’s chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the frat boy groans, but wraps an arm around his waist anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“why don’t you seem angry though?” jeno frowns in confusion, letting jaemin draw random shapes on his chest with his index finger. “and why didn’t you tell me he talked to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“was I supposed to?” jaemin teases, completely disregarding his first question. “you’re not my boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the crestfallen, offended look on jeno’s face almost makes jaemin laugh. “w-well I just, you know,” he stutters. “t-thought you would tell me about it. I just felt a little left out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jaemin laughs, craning his neck to kiss his pout away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno lee, I have a confession to make.” he says, suddenly getting all serious. jeno makes a weird confused sound, squeezing his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><em>here goes nothing</em>, he thinks. <em>fuck it, just do it.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’m in love with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno freezes, and the silence makes jaemin’s blood run cold. the longer he didn’t receive a response, the more he feels the regret creeping in his bones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you only think you are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it feels as though a weight is lifted off jaemin’s chest, and his smile is blinding as he giggles. he punches jeno’s shoulder, calling him an idiot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“you scared me, asshole.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“well, jaemin na, I have a confession as well.” he chuckles, catching jaemin’s fist and placing a kiss on his knuckles. “I lied, back at the balcony.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“all that talk about how love is difficult was a lie. I used to think that but after meeting you,” jeno pauses to tuck a hair behind jaemin’s ear. “you make love seem so easy. </span>
  <em>
    <span>loving</span>
  </em>
  <span> you is so easy. and I want to love you for the rest of my life.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“sap.” jaemin juts out his bottom lip, and jeno helps himself by catching it between his teeth. he kisses him once, twice, thrice and maybe more, overwhelmed by the giddy feeling of being in love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I gave you a whole speech and all you do is call me a sap?!” jeno dramatically whines, pinching jaemin’s sides and trying to pry him off. “get off me, meanie!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“nope, you’re stuck with me. forever.” jaemin cackles, clinging onto jeno’s torso for dear life and playfully nipping at his collarbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno groans playfully, but cages jaemin in his arms and rolls to the side. he attacks jaemin’s entire face with kisses, making the boy squeal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can definitely live with that.” he says confidently, pulling jaemin flush against his body and joining their lips in an open mouthed kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>as jaemin snakes his arms around his neck, jeno rummages through the inner pockets of his jacket, pulling out a little something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he pulls away and kisses jaemin’s right wrist, before winding the strap around it and clasping it closed. jaemin brings it closer to his face, inspecting the sudden accessory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what’s this about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“something to make our relationship seem more real.” jeno jokes, wriggling his eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m serious! this looks expensive!” he eyes the black strap around his wrist, the two ends meeting to hold two carved, entwined rings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it isn’t I swear!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it better not be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>he doesn’t have to know it’s cartier anyways.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a love bracelet.” jeno points out, reaching into his shirt collar and pulling out a thin chain that jaemin didn’t even realise was there. the silver chain was holding onto two carved, entwined rings as well, just like the ones on jaemin’s bracelet. “I have the necklace version. I wanted to confess and give it to you over the summer but I chickened out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the shy, sheepish look that jeno gives him makes jaemin feel all mushy inside. so he presses a long, bruising kiss on his lips to express how he feels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jeno lee, I am absolutely, ridiculously in love with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sure hope so, because I am so </span>
  <em>
    <span>god damn</span>
  </em>
  <span> in love with you too, jaemin na.” jeno rambles. “be mine for real this time? no fakes. no schemes. no favours. just you and me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they kiss again and again, unable to get enough of each other. jeno feels as if everything is finally falling into place as he stares in jaemin’s eyes, thinking about how his best decision so far was to agree to play some random stranger’s boyfriend at his own party.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the universe truly does have its own weird ways, he thinks, craning his neck to press a kiss on jaemin’s temple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>there’s a short but content silence as jaemin lays on jeno’s chest, listening to the sound of his pounding heartbeat. he inhales his scent and props up on his elbows, playfully nipping at his boyfriend’s chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“can I suck you off?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“jaemin na! we’ve only been dating for three minutes and you’re already thinking about-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“don’t care~!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“you know, I never figured out why mark hates your fraternity so much.” jaemin says out of the blue as they’re walking around the lake with their bikes. “I was wondering if his application got rejected or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno stills, shaking his head as he watches his boyfriend’s back. he catches up to him in no time though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“it’s not really my fraternity that he hates, it’s just me, actually.” jeno explains, earning a confused frown. “you really didn’t know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“no, that’s why I asked…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>jeno snorts, quickly hopping on his bike and getting ready to cycle away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“we used to date.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“what?!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you've made it this far, thank you for reading! honestly this is the longest one shot? I've ever written and also the first fic fest I've ever joined so I would love to know what you think! I'm an absolute sucker for fake relationships so this prompt was *chefs kiss*. I wish I could've developed more on their feelings towards each other and their relationships with other people but stupid me had to procrastinate lmao. But nontheless I think I'm quite content with the end result!</p><p>Take care and stay safe everyone! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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